Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Tuesday trials
August 22, 2006
Just back from his fifth visit to Iraq, Rep. John Boozman says he didn’t see that country slipping into civil war - at least not yet. Boozman told Democrat-Gazette Washington reporter Paul Barton, “People over there don’t feel like they are in all-out civil war.”
Bryant school officials are waiting for some guidance from the courts on what to do about Paron High school. About two-thirds of the students were turned away for the first day of school Monday because they had transferred to other districts. Relatives are seeking a court order for immediate reinstatement. Bryant lawyers have asked the State Supreme Court to expedite its’ decision on motions already pending in the court which would close the small Saline County school.
Hendrix College in Conway and Lyon College in Batesville both landed among the nationally ranked institutions in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “America’s Best Colleges” issue, which hit the newsstands Monday.
The University of Mississippi earned national recognition Monday when it was ranked the fifth best party school by The Princeton Review's annual survey of U.S. college students. Based on surveys on the amount of pot smoking, beer and liquor drinking and fraternity partying, the top 10 list is a compilation by the New York-based test-prep company, which annually rates colleges. College of the Ozarks ranked third in the “Stoned Cold Sober” category.
Legal officials at Golden Ventures, the Fort Smith-based support services division of the former Beverly Enterprises, have agreed to a $20 million, out-of-court settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice. The Justice Department alleged MK Medical, the nursing home operator’s wholly-owned medical equipment subsidiary, cheated Medicare and Medi-Cal, a health care program jointly funded by the state of California and federal government.
Election Systems & Software, the Nebraska that provides voting equipment, ballots and software, will provide additional training and support for county election workers at no cost in response to complaints that ballots and voting equipment arrived late or with errors in the run-up to the May 23 vote. Secretary of State Charlie Daniels says the company will waive roughly $388,000 in invoices and will provide credits for future services to counties that have already made some payments.
Drug manufacturers, lawyers and hundreds of women across the country will be paying close attention to a jury trial that starts today in the Little Rock courtroom of U.S. District Judge Bill Wilson Jr. The case centers on a hormone replacement drug, Prempro. This is the first of about 5,000 product liability cases pending in state and federal courts across the country against the Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
Little Rock District Court Judge Vic Fleming named local attorney, and former Republican candidate for lieutenant governor Chuck Banks, a special prosecutor Monday in the contempt-of-court case he’s brought against Pulaski County Sheriff Randy Johnson, but said he won’t let another judge handle the case. Fleming ordered Johnson to appear in court last week to explain why jail officials refused to accept 11 defendants he had ordered jailed for repeat driving offenses.
Jessica Palmer reported to the Benton County coroner’s office as usual Monday morning, but she was sent home immediately. Palmer, a deputy coroner, told investigators last week that she suspected her boss, Benton County Coroner Kimberly Scott, was stealing medications confiscated from deceased hospice patients.
Cleveland, Mississippi authorities are investigating the Monday morning robbery of the Guaranty Bank. Doug Springer, president of the bank, says it all happened about 9:45.
The Cabot City Council voted 6-2 Monday to implement impact fees, forcing developers to help shoulder some of the costs that new growth places on city streets, parks and services. But in an effort to soften the immediate economic blow to developers, the council opted to implement those fees gradually over a four-year period.
A city consultant blamed Entergy for Prescott’s electricity woes Monday night, telling residents that transmission costs on top of what it already pays the Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. for power generation is the main reason that bills have doubled or tripled in recent months.
A new bond issue that could pave the way to easier traffic flow is expected to get a stamp of approval Tuesday from the Rogers City Council.
Stuttgart school board members are on the offensive against flip flops and untucked shirttails and have strengthened the school dress code. The board decided against uniforms about a month ago.
Just back from his fifth visit to Iraq, Rep. John Boozman says he didn’t see that country slipping into civil war - at least not yet. Boozman told Democrat-Gazette Washington reporter Paul Barton, “People over there don’t feel like they are in all-out civil war.”
Bryant school officials are waiting for some guidance from the courts on what to do about Paron High school. About two-thirds of the students were turned away for the first day of school Monday because they had transferred to other districts. Relatives are seeking a court order for immediate reinstatement. Bryant lawyers have asked the State Supreme Court to expedite its’ decision on motions already pending in the court which would close the small Saline County school.
Hendrix College in Conway and Lyon College in Batesville both landed among the nationally ranked institutions in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “America’s Best Colleges” issue, which hit the newsstands Monday.
The University of Mississippi earned national recognition Monday when it was ranked the fifth best party school by The Princeton Review's annual survey of U.S. college students. Based on surveys on the amount of pot smoking, beer and liquor drinking and fraternity partying, the top 10 list is a compilation by the New York-based test-prep company, which annually rates colleges. College of the Ozarks ranked third in the “Stoned Cold Sober” category.
Legal officials at Golden Ventures, the Fort Smith-based support services division of the former Beverly Enterprises, have agreed to a $20 million, out-of-court settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice. The Justice Department alleged MK Medical, the nursing home operator’s wholly-owned medical equipment subsidiary, cheated Medicare and Medi-Cal, a health care program jointly funded by the state of California and federal government.
Election Systems & Software, the Nebraska that provides voting equipment, ballots and software, will provide additional training and support for county election workers at no cost in response to complaints that ballots and voting equipment arrived late or with errors in the run-up to the May 23 vote. Secretary of State Charlie Daniels says the company will waive roughly $388,000 in invoices and will provide credits for future services to counties that have already made some payments.
Drug manufacturers, lawyers and hundreds of women across the country will be paying close attention to a jury trial that starts today in the Little Rock courtroom of U.S. District Judge Bill Wilson Jr. The case centers on a hormone replacement drug, Prempro. This is the first of about 5,000 product liability cases pending in state and federal courts across the country against the Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
Little Rock District Court Judge Vic Fleming named local attorney, and former Republican candidate for lieutenant governor Chuck Banks, a special prosecutor Monday in the contempt-of-court case he’s brought against Pulaski County Sheriff Randy Johnson, but said he won’t let another judge handle the case. Fleming ordered Johnson to appear in court last week to explain why jail officials refused to accept 11 defendants he had ordered jailed for repeat driving offenses.
Jessica Palmer reported to the Benton County coroner’s office as usual Monday morning, but she was sent home immediately. Palmer, a deputy coroner, told investigators last week that she suspected her boss, Benton County Coroner Kimberly Scott, was stealing medications confiscated from deceased hospice patients.
Cleveland, Mississippi authorities are investigating the Monday morning robbery of the Guaranty Bank. Doug Springer, president of the bank, says it all happened about 9:45.
The Cabot City Council voted 6-2 Monday to implement impact fees, forcing developers to help shoulder some of the costs that new growth places on city streets, parks and services. But in an effort to soften the immediate economic blow to developers, the council opted to implement those fees gradually over a four-year period.
A city consultant blamed Entergy for Prescott’s electricity woes Monday night, telling residents that transmission costs on top of what it already pays the Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. for power generation is the main reason that bills have doubled or tripled in recent months.
A new bond issue that could pave the way to easier traffic flow is expected to get a stamp of approval Tuesday from the Rogers City Council.
Stuttgart school board members are on the offensive against flip flops and untucked shirttails and have strengthened the school dress code. The board decided against uniforms about a month ago.
